Head of food development40 Hours per weekSalary Up to £75,000£5000 Car Allowance10% BonusSodexo Live! is seeking a dynamic innovative Head of Food Development to lead the evolution of our culinary offerings across stadia, arenas, and conference sites. In this pivotal role, you will collaborate with the Food and Beverage Director, Marketing Director, and cross functional teams including culinary, marketing, and operations to identify and implement innovative food concepts that enhance the customer experience and drive profitability. By conducting market research and analysing trends, you will stay ahead of the competition and ensure our offerings not only meet but exceed expectations. Additionally, you will manage projects, food management systems, and align our initiatives with our Net Zero goals, positioning Sodexo Live! as a leader in delivering exceptional food experiences in the events sector. If you're passionate about culinary innovation and sustainability, we want to hear from you!What you’ll do:Menu Development and Execution: Create and oversee the menu development and design process, collaborating with venues to manage food costs and achieve revenue budgets and key performance indicators (KPIs) as set by the Account Directors.Training and Development:Develop an industry leading training and development program for chefs, enhancing skills across our retail, hospitality, and catering and events food offerings.Collaboration and Innovation:Work alongside culinary, marketing, and operations teams to enhance the retail food offer for venues, driving innovation, revenue growth, profitability, and improved customer satisfaction.Food Management Systems: Implement food management systems across the segment and partner with service operations teams to enhance compliance and operational efficiency.Trend Integration and Menu Evaluation: Incorporate industry, local, and seasonal produce trends into the menu development process, along with producing evaluation reports on seasonal menu changes.Cost Management: Oversee menu costs, margins, and pricing tariffs to ensure financial targets are met.Operational Support: Provide operational support during client tastings and dish presentations, assisting venue culinary teams as needed.Event Support:Contribute to the broader event season annually and assist with ad hoc events as required.Business Development Collaboration: Support the business development team with culinary offer tender responses and presentations, aimed at both growth and retention opportunities.Food Compliance and Management: Manage food ordering, waste management, and allergen systems to ensure compliance and consistency across all sites.Client and Customer Satisfaction: Achieve consistently excellent feedback ratings from both clients and customers, establishing best in class service.Best in Class Food Offer Development: Lead the creation of a top tier food offer and menu development process that meets revenue, profitability, growth, and retention objectives.Menu Specifications and Training:Ensure detailed menu specifications are developed and trained to provide a consistent level of service in accordance with company standards and performance metrics.Regulatory Compliance:Guarantee adherence to company and statutory regulations regarding safe working practices, health and safety, hygiene, cleanliness, fire safety, and COSHH, achieving strong Green Safeguard audit scores.Team Training and Engagement: Focus on the training and development of the team, fostering performance, engagement, and retention.What you bring:Competent and relevant background in fine dining, hospitality and retail food offers combined with industry knowledgeFinancial awareness and understanding of Profit and Loss accounts and cost controlsPrevious high volume events and stadia experience and excellent planning skillsExperience in managing large teams in varying situations and venuesEstablished Group Development Chef / Group Executive Chef to lead innovation, creativity, new concept roll-out, and food standards for business aligned to business strategyA passionate, energetic individual who loves cooking and loves delivering seasonal, tasty, on trend foodProven and extensive knowledge and experience of the premium restaurant sector and venue and sporting marketAbility to communicate at all levels and have excellent presentation skillsMulti site UK or International experience and market understanding is a mustMulti concept, multi cuisine experience and an in depth knowledge of foodHere, you’ll have the freedom to excel on your terms, making meaningful contributions that resonate with your passions and professional goals. Join us and become part of something larger, where purpose drives your work, and your growth is supported every step of the way.We’re creators of exceptional experiences and passionate about great food. Just like our experiences, our people are one of a kind. Bring your personality, unique background, and enthusiasm for delighting others. In return, we’ll provide everything you need to succeed at Sodexo Live! we’re more than a team, we’re a community. Join us and be part of something extraordinary.We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer, dedicated to challenging perceptions of disability and creating opportunities for disabled individuals to achieve their aspirations. As part of this commitment, we offer a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role.Sodexo Live! where exceptional service meets unforgettable experiences!
